BOWLING GREEN, Ohio–Fremont FCU has become the title sponsor for the “Battle of I-75” between Bowling Green University and the University of Toledo.
With BGSU’s mascots Frieda and Freddie Falcon, and UT’s mascots Rocky and Rocksy on hand, along with coaches and athletic directors from the two schools, Fremont FCU CEO Nick Cray said Fremont Federal Credit Union will sponsor and support all sports rivalry matchups between the two schools for three years.
The credit union will also sponsor a rivalry series between the two teams crossing over 12 sports, which will see both sports programs fight for points to win a trophy at the end of the year, it added.
“It’s about celebrating traditions, competitions, and strong ties to make this region special,” Cray said.
‘I Want More’
David Anderson, general manager of Falcon Sports Properties, said BGSU was approached by Cray, who said, “We want to be a part of what it is you guys are doing in Bowling Green and at [the University of] Toledo.”
“We sat down, and we put a proposal in front of Nick and he said, ‘No, I want more. I want bigger. What else can you do?’” Anderson said in a statement. “We said, ‘Well, we don’t have anybody [for] the I-75 rivalry. What do you think about that?’”
Bryan Blair, athletic director at UT, said in a statement he “couldn’t be more excited” to see Fremont Federal “elevate” the rivalry with the new series and their financial support.
“I think the rivalry is one of the best rivalries in the entire country,” Blair said. “I’ve been at other institutions, and I’ve had the ability to see other rivalries take place, but I’m not sure you see many others that have that close proximity to one another — where we go to church together, eat together, work together, but then, on that Saturday, it’s no holds barred.””
“We all come in our separate corners, fighting it out,” he continued. “I think this means a lot to the region, certainly [for] where you went to school.”
Branch Grand Opening
The announcement was made in conjunction with the opening of a new branch here, its first new branch since 2018 and its first branch in Wood County.
City officials and leaders of Fremont Federal were on hand for the grand opening.
Though the newest location marks the credit union’s seventh branch, in many ways it’s like the first, according to Cray.
“We are proud to officially be a part of the Bowling Green community,” Cray said in a statement “Bowling Green is a dynamic and growing place — the palpable sense of energy and enthusiasm we feel around our office.”
